Littul kitton's first canned cat food

There are no typos in the subject line.

Don't.... oh well, too late.

Link thanks to andabusers.

On realistic foreign policy

Timothy Burke says:

I think “realism” has to be reclaimed from the people who get called realists. Realists in policy circles flatter themselves relentlessly, saying that only they really know the way the world actually is, only they are prepared to accept and accommodate the inevitable disappointments of the world, only they know the contours of our possible futures. These were the people inside of the world of American and European policy formation who professed (often through leaks and indirect remarks) that the neoconservative dogma of Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney and other planners of the Iraq War horrified them, and for that, they were often regarded as a preferable alternative.

More generally, I think I need to develop the same caution about anything labeled "realism" that I try to have about anything labeled "healthy".

As for Egyptians, I wish them very well-- they've made an excellent start. I'm hoping their example will crack a few more bad governments, and I expect its influence will go beyond the Arab countries.

I'm interested in what they'll do about their police. In addition to poverty, I believe one of their huge issues was that their police were oppressing just about everyone.

I don't think they'd be stupid enough to attack Israel any time soon. On the other hand, I don't think they'll necessarily be maintaining the Gaza blockade, either. And the US will be trying to use money to manipulate Egyptian oil and Israel policies. The future is murky, as usual.

Music theory puns

Found here:

C, E-flat, and G go into a bar.

The bartender says, "Sorry, but we don't serve minors." So, the E-flat leaves, and the C and the G have an open fifth between them.

After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished; the G is out flat. An F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough.

A D comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying, "Excuse me. I'll just be a second."

An A comes into the bar, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and exclaims, "Get out now! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight."

The E-flat, not easily deflated, comes back to the bar the next night in a 3-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says: "You're looking sharp tonight, come on in! This could be a major development." This proves to be the case, as the E-flat takes off the suit, and everything else, and is now au naturel.

Eventually, the C sobers up, and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. The C is brought to trial, is found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of DS without Coda at an upscale correctional facility. On appeal, however, the C is found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all accusations to the contrary are bassless.

The bartender decides he needs a rest - and closes the bar.